The Most Romantically Corny Day of the Year

Positively or negatively, once February rolls around most people are talking about the most popular Hallmark Holiday: Valentine’s Day. Some people love it, others hate it. However, what is never talked about is how a day to show appreciation to someone you love became a holiday.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on February 14th, mainly across the United States, however it is also celebrated in other countries as well. While it is known that this day is celebrated in the name of St. Valentine, there are many different legends that people believe, and in all of them St. Valentine was martyred.

One legend claims that Valentine was a priest who performed marriages, even though Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage in order to make them better soldiers. Claudius put Valentine to death once he found out about the secret marriages.

Another suggests that Valentine was killed for trying to help Christians escape the torturous Roman prisons.

Some believe that Valentine was imprisoned and fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. He wrote her a note and signed it “From your Valentine” which is an expression some people still use today. This legend contends that Valentine actually sent the first “valentine”. All three of these legends, no matter which is true, suggest that Valentine was a romantic and heroic figure, which conveys why Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day full of love and romance.

However, is Valentine’s Day still romantic today? Or is the holiday starting to lose its meaning? Many people believe that Valentine’s Day has commercialized the meaning of love and that these grand gestures “feel much more authentic when born out of spontaneity” (www.campustimes.org) Also, it is thought that there should not be one specific day to show appreciation for the people you love because it should be shown every day. Many people feel that if they were to be given chocolates, flowers, or other kinds of surprises and gifts on a random day of the year, it would feel more special and appreciated.

On www.statista.com, the opinions of Americans ages eighteen and older about Valentine’s Day were given and recorded. About 53% of Americans believe that “you don’t need a specific day to show each other that you love each other”, while only 36% believe that Valentine’s Day is “a day of love”.

When the question “What is your opinion of Valentine’s Day” was asked publicly on Twitter by Sarah Cherry, many different responses were recorded. Tyler Spence sees both sides of Valentine’s Day by saying, “I have mixed feelings. Valentine’s Day is unnecessary, but it’s fun if you have someone to celebrate it with”. While others like Julia Gremaux see big importance in the day, for she feels that “…Valentine’s Day is based around people who want to show their love for each other. It’s a necessary day.”

While the gifts and surprises may seem unnecessary to some people, others find it fulfilling. Valentine’s Day demonstrates what should be celebrated towards others every day: love and appreciation. Overall, everyone’s views and opinions on Valentine’s Day are different, and whether it is thought to be romantic or corny depends on the individual.

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